Create more Plants from Clippings

How many times have you walked or driven by a beautiful yard that had an abundance of color and smell, and thought…I would love to have a garden that looked like that, but I can’t afford all of those plants and flowers. Well, truth is…you can. Actually, it is more affordable than you think and you don’t have to have a degree in Horticulture. The greatest expense to a beautiful retreat (whether it be your yard, patio, or balcony - for you apartment dwellers) would be your time, effort, and a little imagination.

Grandma always said: “There are basically two ways you can get more plants from the one’s you already have – rooting powder and good old water”.

There is no limit to what can be propagated. Below are suggestions along with a few tips and tricks that my grandmother taught me years ago on how to have the garden you always dreamed of - on the cheap. It is amazing how much you can grow in a small space - The greatest expense will be the pots (only if you need decorative pots - I use good old plastic ones for cascading plants - you can't see them anyway, so why buy expensive pretty ones?)

• Scissors/Knife
• Rooting Hormone (you can find this at any store that sells plants/flowers or online - from $4 to $55) - It is a miracle substance that works so very well in speeding up the process
• Dirt - store bought or from the yard - just make sure it has some nutrients and is not mostly clay
• Planter - ask your neighbors if they have any left over pots from plants they have purchased - they work just as well as expensive pots
• Cuttings from your yard/friends/neighbors/family

Rooting powder is used on woody ornamental trees and shrubs

1. Fill a pot with dirt (you don’t need store bought dirt – I use it straight from the back yard)
2. Gather your stem cuttings in the morning
3. Cut a 45 degree angle below a node (the area where the leaf and/or the bud joins the stem)
4. Remove the leaves from the bottom of the cutting s– about 3 to 4 inches
5. Take scissors/knife and strip the lower half (about 2 to 3 inches) to expose the inside of the stem
6. Place the stem in rooting powder (DO NOT put the stem in the original container of rooting powder as it might contaminate the powder – instead put a little rooting powder in a separate container to use)
7. Make holes in the pot filled with dirt
8. Place each stem in a separate hole and pat the dirt around it to secure in a upright position
9. Water and put in a warm place
10. Check every so often for roots

Water rooting is used on garden flowers and houseplants

1. Cut directly below a node
2. Remove bottom 2 to 3 inches of leaves
3. Place in water
4. Check every few weeks for roots
5. Once you have roots – plant in dirt

It really is that easy. Use your imagination and gather cuttings from any and every where. If the roots don’t take, well, that’s okay because all it cost you was a little time and maybe a little rooting hormone. If the roots do take, well then…you will have that yard and/or garden that you always wanted at a fraction of the cost! I guess Grandma does know best!

• If you are not going to be planting your cuttings right away, wrap the cut ends in wet paper towels – then in plastic wrap or a plastic baggie – then secure with a rubber band. Keep in a cool dark place until you are ready to plant. (This works on most cuttings)
• When cutting flower stems - run under water
• If in the garden and cutting flowers - have a bucket of water to place the cut stems in
• Always put an aspirin in the water in a vase full of flowers
• If Wandering Jew break off - stick your finger in the dirt to create a hole and stick the broken end in there - it will root.
• No need to be picky with Ivy - just throw it on top of the dirt and it will root (Grandma was right on this one - I tried it - and it worked!)